G7 Summit Begins in France Amid Geopolitical Swirl
G7 leaders and invited guests have gathered in France for the annual summit. The meeting comes at a fast-moving time in world affairs, with a potential peace deal in the Middle East taking shape, but no end yet in sight for the war in Ukraine.
G7 Summit: Tensions and Hopes Amid Global Crises
REPORTER:
One by one, visiting leaders from around the world take turns to greet their hosts: French President Emannuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte.
Here in the French spa town of Évian-les-Bains, the heads of the G7 nations plus leaders from a range of guest countries are gathering for the annual G7 summit. There's a lot to discuss.
REPORTER:
One big change since last year’s summit is the months-long US-Israeli war with Iran.
Going into this meeting, there were tensions between US President Donald Trump and other leaders over the war.
Allies have balked at Trump’s decision to go to war without consulting them, and his threats to withdraw US troops from Europe for failing to back the war.
REPORTER:
Now, suddenly, peace is on the table.
Trump says after a deal with Iran, there’s just some final touches and it’s back to normal—including the reopening of the key Strait of Hormuz oil route.
Donald Trump (US PRESIDENT):
I'm very happy to say it's signed. The deal's all signed. And the strait is already partially opened. As you know, they're doing a little hunting for a couple of mines that they've already found. But it's essentially ships are starting to go out now. On Friday, it'll be completely opened.
REPORTER:
But the deal isn’t yet public, and there’s a catch.
Iran says US ally Israel must get on board, too, and end deadly strikes on Iranian proxies in Lebanon.
That could be a tall order.
REPORTER:
Also on the agenda: Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has not slowed down even as attention shifted to Iran.
Among the most recent destruction from Russian attacks, this Kyiv landmark and UNESCO world heritage site, the 11-century Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery.
REPORTER:
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is among the guest leaders attending this year’s G7 summit. He says the chances of a peace deal with Russia’s President Putin look grim as the war drags deeper into its fifth year.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy (UKRAINE PRESIDENT):
We offered Putin to meet anywhere where real decisions to end the war could be made. He does not want it. And we discussed with the US and France the possibility of a meeting with Russia around the G7, with all democratic nations represented. Putin does not want it.
REPORTER:
In fact, according to EU intelligence, Russia is getting outside help.
The EU says China has helped train hundreds of Russian troops who later fought in Ukraine.
China says it’s neutral in the war, but the EU is adding three new Chinese firms to its growing sanctions list.
This adds to EU trade tensions with China and concerns about Chinese domination of critical mineral supplies.
REPORTER:
The three-day summit was always going to have challenges: concerns about Trump’s tariff threats and whether he’s committed to a world order the US helped build over the years.
Now, a swirl of geopolitical developments throws in an extra layer of complications as the gathered leaders seek common ground at the foot of the French Alps.
